Galloping Ghost Arcade opened in Brookfield, Illinois, in August 2010. It began with more than a hundred restored games and a practical goal: give people a place to play classic arcade machines that were increasingly hard to find in working venues. Today, the arcade describes itself as the largest video arcade in the United States, but the available game counts differ by source and date, so “largest” is best understood as a claim about collection size—not a settled, independently audited national ranking.
Why Galloping Ghost Arcade opened
Galloping Ghost is at 9415 Ogden Avenue in Brookfield, a suburb west of Chicago. Its founders have described the project as both a place to revisit familiar games and a response to a shortage of functioning, well-kept arcades in the Chicago area. The venue’s stated aims included making arcade play accessible, hosting competitive events and letting visitors encounter games they might not have seen in decades.
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In a November 2010 account by the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, co-owner Doc Mack described an earlier attempt to repair other people’s machines. “Long ago, we went around trying to fix other arcade games for people, but they didn’t want us to. So finally we decided to get a lot of games together and open the Galloping Ghost,” he said.
The same article records Mack’s recollection that Pong was his first game and co-owner Gerry Cantu’s that Space Invaders was his. These are the founders’ personal memories as reported at the time, rather than independently documented milestones.
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- 13 Classic Games: Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Ultimate MK 3, Rampage, Joust, Wizard of Wor, Gauntlet, Rootbeer Tapper, Defender, Bubbles, Paperboy, Klax
- 4 Feet Tall, with 15.6” IPS Color Monitor
- Dual Speakers for crisp arcade sound
- WiFi Leaderboards to challenge the world, Online Multiplayer
- Real feel Joysticks and Buttons
Opening in 2010—and the first growth spurt
The arcade’s own history page says it opened on Friday, August 13, 2010, with 130 machines that had been saved from likely destruction and restored. Cantu gave a slightly different opening-night figure to the Landmark: “When the gamers came in on opening night, we had 120 games ready.” By the paper’s November 30, 2010, report, 189 machines were running. The accounts describe different counts and should not be collapsed into a single opening number.
The venue says its collection had grown beyond 885 games by 2014. That rapid expansion helped shape its identity: not simply a room of familiar classics, but a large, changing collection built to make machines playable and available to visitors.
A founder’s account of finding machines
A 2020 Ars Technica feature discusses a short documentary told largely through Mack’s account. It reports that Mack described finding 114 dormant arcade machines in a barn in Iowa and acquiring them for $5,000 total. That is Mack’s story as recounted in the documentary, not an independently verified inventory or transaction record.
The feature also recounts Mack’s account of working at Babbage’s in the 1990s and meeting Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon. Mack later described the encounter as motivating him to pursue his own business: “That motivated me,” he said. The documentary, Ars noted, leaves parts of his path to opening the arcade unexplained, so the encounter is best treated as one element of his narrated origin story.
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- Classic Arcade Experience: Enjoy 12 legendary games from 1981 on a full-size cabinet with real-feel joysticks, buttons, and authentic arcade-style gameplay
- Vibrant 17" Display: Features a crisp BOE 17" LCD screen that brings retro graphics to life with bright colors and sharp details for immersive gaming fun
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How many games does Galloping Ghost have?
There is no single reconciled count in the available public figures. Galloping Ghost’s homepage describes the venue as the largest video arcade in the USA and advertises more than 885 games. Separately, Aurcade’s location listing, updated October 1, 2026, reported 1,111 games, 312 unique games and 812 world records.
| Source and date | Reported figure | What it represents |
|---|---|---|
| Galloping Ghost homepage, current public-facing claim | More than 885 games | The venue’s advertised collection figure and its basis for describing itself as the largest video arcade in the USA. |
| Aurcade location listing, updated October 1, 2026 | 1,111 games | A third-party database inventory; not an official audit of machines playable on a particular day. |
| Aurcade location listing, updated October 1, 2026 | 312 unique games | A distinct-title figure in that database, not the same measure as total games. |
| Aurcade location listing, updated October 1, 2026 | 812 world records | The listing’s reported records figure, not a count of games or cabinets. |
These numbers measure different things and come from sources with different methods. They do not establish an independently adjudicated ranking of every U.S. arcade. When evaluating a “largest” claim, distinguish total cabinets or machines from unique titles, machines playable at the time of a visit and floor area. The venue’s own games list is useful for seeing titles associated with the collection, but a listing does not guarantee that every game is operating on a given day.
What can you play there?
The collection mixes recognizable games—including Donkey Kong, Space Invaders and Pac-Man—with less commonly encountered titles such as Primal Rage II, Hammer Away and Godzilla. Ars Technica’s 2020 feature also describes rare and prototype machines, highlighting the significance of Primal Rage 2. For current examples, consult the arcade’s online games list; cabinet availability can change, so it is not a promise that every listed title will be working during a visit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the flat-fee model works
Instead of paying per game with quarters or tokens, visitors pay an admission fee and play the machines without additional per-game charges. The founders described that approach early on, and the venue frames it as a way to remove the need to budget coins while playing.
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- Crisp 17-Inch Display: BOE color monitor brings every glowing maze and character to life with sharp visuals that stay true to the original arcade look
- Wi-Fi Leaderboards: Compete with players across the country by posting high scores online using built-in Wi-Fi—no quarters required
- Deluxe Cabinet Design: Over 5 feet tall with a light-up marquee, molded faux coin door, and sleek cabinet that adds retro style to any game room or space
The homepage currently advertises a $25 door fee and weekly, monthly, yearly and lifetime memberships. Treat the door fee and membership options as changeable rather than permanent prices; check the official homepage before travelling.
Current visitor details
The venue’s homepage currently lists these hours and location. Hours, prices and policies can change, so confirm them with the arcade before a visit.
| Detail | Currently listed |
|---|---|
| Address | 9415 Ogden Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois |
| Sunday–Thursday | 11 a.m.–midnight |
| Friday–Saturday | 11 a.m.–2 a.m. |
| Admission | $25 door fee; free play on the machines |
| Memberships | Weekly, monthly, yearly and lifetime options are advertised |
The homepage also promotes a weekly Monday Mystery Game stream, offering a way to follow the venue beyond an in-person visit.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
